Former Greek PM Karamanlis: Golden Dawn would get 20% in election

Speaking of the current political landscape in Greece, former Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has predicted "If we had elections tomorrow the Golden Dawn would get 20%."

Kostas Karamanlis, former President of the conservative party New Democracy and former Prime Minister of Greece, spoke to Real News regarding the popularity of Golden Dawn (Chrysi Avgi) Smarkos reported. On their Greek website Golden Dawn acknowledged that Karmanlis would definitely know more than Golden Dawn about the actual percentages.

According to Keep Talking Greece a public opinion poll conducted for Ependytis gave Golden Dawn a voting percentage of 8.8. Another poll for Parapolitica gave the party 9.3 percent. Both polls show that Golden Dawn is now the third party in Greece after New Democracy and SYRIZA, outranking both coalition government partners PASOK and Democratic Left.

As Digital Journal reported the popularity of Golden Dawn has surged to 22 percent, an unprecedented rise of 10 points since May.

True percentages are swayed as many Golden Dawn supporters will not speak openly of their support for the party due to its alleged links with violent attacks on immigrants. Under reporting of the party's real popularity was evidenced by the results in this year's two elections. Polls gave Golden Dawn five percent but they actually gained seven percent, leading to 18 members entering parliament.

Karamanlis attributed Golden Dawn's massive surge in popularity to social problems in Greece. He said there are "Not enough police measures. As long as there are desperate people and the society suffers, will find the prop Golden Dawn."

He went on to advise that current government priorities "should be to tackle illegal immigration and crime, and the brake to the recession." Karamanlis welcomed the initiatives by Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias in addressing the issue of illegal immigration.

Although Greeks that live abroad have no voting rights in Greek elections, Golden Dawn has reached out to the Greek dispora, opening offices in New York and Melbourne. The overseas branches raise the plight of Greeks' suffering through recession and assist by collecting food and clothing to ship to needy Greeks.